Of Noivern Love
by yiranY
Summary: The young Sylvia had just won the Kalos Championships with her team for the first time, and the future was looking bright. But as the excitement started to settle, she found herself facing a different challenge, one that was even harder than merely winning battles.
1. Of Noivern Doubt

"Sylvia! Wakey wakey! It's time for breakfast!"

The singsong voice roused the Noivern from her sleep. She frowned and turned under the covers until a flat, cold surface disrupted her peaceful lounging. It was her tablet, one that she had been binge watching videos on last night. She opened her maw and took a slow yawn, before pushing herself upright.

Sylvia could see the giant green lawn beyond the trees, a breeze carrying the soft scent of summer grass through the room. It had been nearly a week after Team Serawings had won the Kalos Championships, and the excitement had started to settle. No longer were there news conferences to attend, parties to hold, or guests to entertain. The boredom was only exacerbated by the absence of all her teammates. On any other day, Sylvia would have just opted to sleep in, but she didn't want Kelsey to eat breakfast alone.

Rubbing her eyes, Sylvia stood up and felt the soft carpet beneath her paws. The mansion had been so quiet the past day or two that it spooked her to leave her room at night. She walked out of her room past the doors of her teammates and headed down the staircase. There Kelsey was at the kitchen counter, her long black hair coming down beyond her shoulders and resting on her blue tank top. She fetched bowls of miso soup and congee from the microwave as she noticed her Noivern.

"Good morning!" Kelsey greeted Sylvia as she placed the breakfast on the table. "Do you feel like having soup and congee? Or do you want something else?"

"This is fine, thank you." Sylvia nodded to her trainer graciously, having noted that Kelsey wore the translator earpiece and thus could understand her.

"Great! Well, here's your spoon."

Sylvia sat down and began to scoop the congee. Human food had always appealed to her, the seasoning tasting better than the artificial flavoring in brand packaged Pokemon food. Though Kelsey was usually too lazy to cook breakfast, she often made her own dinner at the end of the day. It was a shame that most of her teammates didn't like it. Sylvia thought it was delicious.

"House is quite empty, isn't it?" Kelsey commented. "What do you want to do today?"

"It would be boring if it's just the two of us," Sylvia answered, thinking back to the day trip they took together yesterday. Kelsey was obviously unfit to partake in any play Sylvia could have done with the others, and the Noivern would rather have stayed home. "How long is everyone going to be gone for?" she finally asked.

Kelsey paused for a moment, shoving a strand of hair back behind her ear. "You see, these things can take a while, depending on the situation. I can't say for sure, but I don't think they're gonna be back anytime soon."

Sylvia paused for a moment, and felt a momentary disgust. "Why would they even need to go?" she started to complain. "We don't need the money, do we?"

Afraid to meet her trainer's gaze, the Noivern looked down and stared at her bowl. She knew that wasn't the reason, but the a part of her wanted to say it anyway.

Kelsey sighed and brushed Sylvia's mane. "I get how you feel. It feels a bit strange for me, too, knowing what they are doing. But championship Pokemon always get these offers, and if they want to, who am I to tell them no?"

The Noivern whined and tugged on her trainer's hand. She, too, had been offered such an opportunity for the first time, since she was finally of age. It was flattering for the first few minutes, but when the gravity of what she had to undergo settled in, she hesitated.

"Hey now, you don't have to go if you don't want to. But you can't control what others do, can you?" Kelsey said in a sweet, motherly voice. "Maybe we should just forget all about this and go for some bubble tea. How's that sound?"

Sylvia's reservations were definitely still there, but she didn't want to be too much of a baby, so she just nodded and said, "Okay."

But as they left the house, Kelsey said one more thing. "If it makes you feel any better, if I were a Pokemon, I wouldn't choose to go to the breeding center either."

It did make Sylvia feel better, at least for a while. But when looking outside of the window of the car, she saw a Swellow and Unfezant flying together in the sky, and she felt something stir within her. Even if she didn't want to go breeding, Sylvia did feel that she would want a mate some time in the future. A male to call her own, whom she could rely on to comfort her, to love her… the concept was desirable. Yet none of the males in her life were worth pursuing. It's not as if she met much Pokemon anyway, but the few whom she knew did not interest her in that way. If she had to be honest, her male teammates didn't have terrible personalities, but they were not compatible. Except Icarus, but Skarmory were kind of…

Sylvia felt shallow for judging appearance, and wriggled in her seat. Kelsey was typing something on her phone and didn't notice, which the Noivern was secretly disappointed at. Her trainer was usually attentive to her, but Kelsey seemed rather invested conversing with a friend right now. Sylvia took large sips of the rather sweet bubble tea and let the coolness calm her.

It was still morning when they finally arrived home. Sylvia got off the car and headed inside quickly, wanting to occupy herself with her tablet.

"Hey, Sylvia? What do you want for lunch?" Kelsey called her before she went upstairs.

"Huh? Oh, anything is fine," Sylvia answered as she began climbing up the stairs.

"So is the Pokemon food fine with you?"

Sylvia stopped in her tracks and turned around, heading to Kelsey's room. Her trainer was in front of the mirror, putting on makeup. "What do you mean? Are you not having lunch with me?"

"Ah, I'm going on a date with someone, so I won't be home," Kelsey explained as she applied lip balm, a rare sight.

"A… date?"

"Yeah, he's the son of one Dad's friends. I ought to at least try to see if there could be anything, right?" said Kelsey. "Anyways, so do you want me to order you takeout?"

"Oh. I… I'm good. I'm not that hungry."

With that, Sylvia turned around and ran to her room. She quickly dived into her blankets and wrapped herself around tightly. What was she thinking? Of course Kelsey would have to go be with some male as well. She just won the championship, after all. It was unfair.

No, this wouldn't do. For now, she just stayed beneath the soft fabric and let it soothe her. But Sylvia was still, after all, a champion. Surely she could muster the strength to do something to make herself happy. She just needed to figure out _what_.


	2. Of Noivern Want

"hey, you're the champion's noivern, right? i'd love to get a coffee with you, and maybe some more after if you're down ;)"

Sylvia stared at the screen, resisting the urge to score the phone in her claws. This was her third conversation today, and the previous two fared no better.

Dragons looking for her wealth. Dragons seeking her fame. Dragons yearning for her body. No matter how many conversations she had, all of them led to the same three conclusions. The Noivern sometimes wished that she was not as famous as she was, for that would cut down two of those possibilities, but even then it seemed like every other dragon struck up conversation with her just to get their way under her tail.

Kelsey's recommendation was just to go to the breeding facility if Sylvia felt so left out, but that just wasn't what she wanted. Sylvia did try her best to be less of a nuisance and simply eat and sleep her way through the mood, but nothing would change at this rate.

As the Noivern stared at the screen, she was at a complete loss of what to do next until Kelsey's voice rang through the door. "Sanae's coming home today!"

A jolt of excitement ran down Sylvia's spine as she sat straight up. "Are we picking her up?"

"Yep! I'm leaving right now. Do you want to come?"

"Yes!" Sylvia opened her door and grabbed Kelsey's hand immediately. "Yes, I am."

The drive to the breeding facility was long, and Sylvia could occupy herself with nothing except staring at tree after passing tree. Even though she anticipated seeing Sanae after she was… breeding for a week, she still had some reservations. Sylvia had never broached the topic with her teammates before, but now that she was of age, it was probably time.

Kelsey talking about her failed date did comfort Sylvia somewhat. The Noivern started to feel a bit guilty about throwing all those pillows around her room, since her worry was all for naught.

On second thought, though, she only threw some pillows and made a bit of noise, which was nothing to feel bad about. Maybe she ought to feel embarrassed given how old she is, but she was the youngest.

Nervousness washed over Sylvia when their car entered a driveway and stopped. The building had a very modern look with many glass walls and a curved white roof. She felt sick to her stomach and let out a whine before dropping her head down to her seat, refusing to look out.

"You don't want to come inside?" Kelsey offered as she opened the door.

Sylvia shook her head as she lay on the seat.

"Ah, then just wait in the car. It won't be too long."

Sylvia was left alone with their driver, a middle aged man who did not wear a translator earpiece. Neither of them acknowledged each other as the driver found a parking spot before shutting the engine off and pulling out a newspaper.

The Noivern still couldn't get her mind off the fact that Pokemon were _breeding_ inside that building. It wasn't even just her teammates, but many, many more. Yet the center's exterior looked so pristine and clean, masking any semblance of impurity. Sylvia shuffled in her seat, her throat beginning to itch.

So intense was her anxiety that she felt borderline euphoric when when the car started up again. It meant that Sanae was finally out! Sylvia couldn't wait to hang out with the Excadrill, and peeked out the window as the car reached the front entrance of the facility. Behind Kelsey was Sanae, her forehead and arm blades covered with sheaths, as was customary when she is not in battle.

Sylvia slid the backseat door open, and called out, "Sanae! You're back!" before scooting over to give the Excadrill space to sit.

"Heya. Yep, I am!" Sanae's clear yet solid voice rang through the air as she shuffled inward. An Excadrill would not fit in a car designed for humans, but there was ample space in this one. Kelsey was wealthy enough, after all. "About time, too, I was getting impatient," Sanae added.

"It's good to see you." Sylvia wanted to ask more about the experience at the breeding center, but did not know how to begin.

Kelsey entered the front door and sat on the passenger seat, and the driver wasted no time in starting the journey home. "Everything comfortable back there?" Kelsey called out as they exited on to the main road.

"Everything's perfect," Sanae answered. "Thanks, Kels."

There was a period uneasy silence as the car sped off, with only the soft sound of shifting leather as suddenly every position Sylvia was in became uncomfortable.

"So, um…" the Noivern managed to say eventually. "How do you feel right now?"

"I feel fine. Still pumped from winning the championships!" Sanae answered with a laugh. Sylvia clenched her paws slightly as her teammate missed the point, but it did alleviate some of the awkwardness . "How about you? What have you been doing at home?"

"Ah, just… relaxing. Oh, there's this new flavor of matcha ice cream at that shop, you should try it."

Small talk occupied the ride home. Sylvia talked mostly about herself, describing the day trips that she and Kelsey had gone on. It felt superficial because Sylvia was really dying to ask about Sanae's experiences, but there was no way she would show curiosity in front of her trainer.

Kelsey ordered some takeout when they got home, and went swimming in the backyard pool after dinner. Sylvia wasn't sure if her trainer was trying to give them space on purpose, but she appreciated it nonetheless. Moments later, the two Pokemon were huddled in Sanae's room like two teens sleeping over. It was preferable to Sylvia's own room or anywhere else in the house, since the furniture was padded for Sanae's blades.

"You really want to know about what happened while I was there, huh?" Sanae asked as Sylvia locked the door behind her and climbed onto the upper bunk bed. She used to sleep here before she got her own room, and it was strangely comforting to sink into the cold, dusty mattress.

"Of course- I mean, sure!" Sylvia stuttered as she lay down on her belly, such that only her face peeked out from above. "I just thought you would be more… different."

"I _am_ pregnant, if that's what you mean by different." Sylvia flinched at that statement, but Sanae kept going nonchalantly. "I felt a bit weird the first time, too, but… you get used to it."

"S-so, um, you get used to what goes on… before you get pregnant as well?"

"Ah, you mean mating? Yeah, I'm pretty used to it. I mean, it's kind of a necessary part of the process."

How could Sanae talk about it so easily? And here Sylvia was, worrying about being intrusive. "Well, do you suppose you like going there?" she asked, her voice quivering much less.

The Excadrill let out a chuckle as she filed her blades. "Who doesn't? It's some good stress relief after training and competing for the entire year. Of course, sometimes it can feel like a chore. Sometimes I wish I was a male since they can just… forget about it afterwards. To be fair, we are paid more for it, but I'm kind of jealous of Icarus and Kenny. They can just keep doing it until they get bored. As if they even get bored of mating. Hah, males."

Sylvia was listening intently, and even though she asked for it, it was hard to answer after hearing Sanae actually talk about it explicitly.

"I'm actually quite surprised you're asking me about it now," Sanae said with a curious look. "You would never talk to anyone about it in previous years."

"I-I mean, I'm of age now too, right? So I was just wondering how it is and if I should… uh, try it or something." Sylvia felt dirty immediately after saying that, and rolled over to face the wall. It was her only option if those dating apps didn't work…

"Hey, you don't have to force yourself," Sanae answered. "If you're happier just staying at home, then just do that! Kelsey's not short on this bit of cash."

Hearing the Excadrill comfort her reminded Sylvia of when they were younger, and their relationship was more sister-like. It gave a sense of childish nostalgia that made Sylvia want to stay out of these affairs.

But she couldn't lie to herself anymore. "Well, honestly… I haven't really been that happy lately," Sylvia admitted. "I try pretend I don't need a mate or anything, but… I just end up feeling lonely. I've tried looking online for other dragons, and that doesn't work either."

"Ah. In that case, though, maybe you ought to try? It's hard for us to find a dedicated mate if we're still training with Kelsey, but the breeding center can be a good substitute. Some of my partners there were decent and I can put in a request to be matched with them again."

"Maybe." Sylvia closed her eyes and pictured a handsome, suave male Noivern that opened his arms to welcome her. It did feel… very nice. His soft mane, his smooth skin, his warm embrace…

"You should try it once, before you don't have time. The season is going to start before you know it." Sanae's words, a little sterner than usual, interrupted Sylvia's daydream. "Even if you don't like it, it's at least worth noting so you don't feel bad about it in the future."

"Right…" Sylvia agreed with her friend's words, but still felt doubt in her heart. "I just… feel dirty, like I am-"

"Oh dear, don't think of yourself like that!" Sanae interrupted. "It benefits everyone! You, your partner, Kelsey… There's nothing bad to feel about. It's not as if any of us competitive battlers have the time to find a proper mate, so it's not as if we lack integrity _there_."

Sanae must have realized she was being a bit harsh when she hastily added, "Only if you actually want to, though. I'm not trying to pressure you into something you don't like. But from what you said, it sounds like you would feel much better if you went."

Sylvia shivered and thought of that phantom Noivern again. What she really wanted was for a male to be by her side, a male who would protect her and to listen to her problems and quellher tantrums and care for her and all those things. Going to the breeding facility for mating experience hardly compared. But Sanae was right. For competitive Pokemon like them, it was the only option.

"All right," Sylvia finally said. "I'll go."


End file.
